


A Mile In Their Shoes

by NerdButton



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bodyswap, F/F, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Magic, OT3, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:34:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27317830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdButton/pseuds/NerdButton
Summary: One year ago, Max Caulfield moved back to Arcadia Bay for her junior year, and gained the ability to rewind time. One year before that, Rachel Amber set the forest on fire, with nothing but a scream.The veil in Arcadia Bay has always been thin.And it's not finished with them yet.Body Swap AU. No Mark Jefferson. No tornado.Featuring: Established AmberPrice, Hijinks & Shenanigans, and eventual ChaseMarshField.
Relationships: Established Relationship - AmberPrice, Eventual ChaseMarshField, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Kate Marsh, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Victoria Chase, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Victoria Chase/Kate Marsh, Rachel Amber/Chloe Price, Victoria Chase/Kate Marsh
Comments: 16
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, couple things to note about this story before we start - this Arcadia Bay is different from the ones in the games, there was no Jefferson in this version, and no deaths or anything that happened during the games as a result. Max still has her time powers, and I've decided to make it so Rachel actually has elemental powers which was how she set the forest on fire. Chloe knows all about this, and she loves it - calls them "the super trio". Kate and Victoria are also slightly different - Kate is still religious, but not just a Christian, instead she focuses more on the spiritual teachings and lessons from most major religions. I like that better myself, and it makes her character more versatile and interesting. Victoria is still her bitchy self but more like end game Victoria where she's a bit more chill and less of a bully. The whole situation with her bullying Kate so bad never happens here as Jefferson never came to Arcadia Bay, and she's marginally nicer to Max and Kate since they're friends with Rachel. Her and Chloe still don't like each other though. 
> 
> As with most of my works, this is very self indulgent. I write the thing I want to read, and hopefully some of you enjoy reading this too!
> 
> I can be found in tumblr, at @shallitickleyournerdbutton!
> 
> Enjoy!

Max had thought she was going to have one, (1), normal day.

She'd awoken to her normal alarm, gotten dressed in her normal clothes, and attended her entirely normal classes with her normal friends.

Well, mostly normal. They all have their own... quirks, but as far as teenagers from small towns go, they're manageable. If anything, Max is the least normal out of them all, what with being able to rewind time as she sees fit, followed in close second by Rachel and her cosmically charged emotions. She's finally starting to learn some control over those though, thankfully - some combination of her, Chloe and Max working together moving them closer to something resembling deliberate acts, than unintended arson.

And it had been a normal day, right up until it wasn't. Coaxed by the promise of some of Joyce's food, she'd allowed herself a fleeting moment to be a normal teenager, even managing to talk Kate into tagging along with her, Rachel and Chloe to the Two Whales.

"A double date." Rachel had joked into her ear, a tease in her eye as she glanced over to the girl in question chatting with Chloe a few steps ahead of them both.

Max isn't much one to blush, but Rachel's knowing tone made the decision for her, that time.

Dinner had been... nice. Better than nice. The fact that Rachel and Chloe seemed to be trying their hands at matchmaking did not escape her notice, but she had other things to focus on. Like how cute Kate looked tucked into the too-large booths in the diner. Or how she would lean into Max's side, almost without thinking, any time Rachel would do the same to Chloe on the other side.

Yea. Nice.

She could fight Rachel about her scheming later.

Chloe had driven them back to campus, the four of them squeezed into the front of her truck in a way that should have been uncomfortable, but wasn't. Max practically fell out of the passenger side once they'd come to a stop in the parking lot, Kate close behind and laughing lightly at whatever Chloe had just been whining about. She'd half-fallen into Max, her foot sliding off the rain-slicked step, and forcing her to wrap her arms around her friend's shoulders to help her regain her balance.

A small miracle that she didn't tug them both down into the mud; clumsy as Max is, she only just managed to catch them both and keep them on their feet.

She made a point to ignore the smug grins Chloe and Rachel sent each other at the sight, focusing instead on Chloe as Kate finally pulled away and started to readjust her sweater that had twisted during the slip.

"Not going home, Chlo? I thought you were still banned from campus."

Chloe swings an arm around Rachel's shoulders, making a show of locking the truck with her keys. "I am, but David's being a dick. Either I maybe have to deal with him here, or I definitely have to deal with him at home. I choose here."

Rachel pats the arm dangling over her shoulder with exaggerated sympathy, pouting in a way that is clearly fake and not at all intended to comfort her girlfriend. It makes both Max and Kate laugh, alerting Chloe to the mocking going on right under her nose, and she blows a raspberry right against Rachel's cheek that causes her to squeal and try to get away. Chloe and Rachel continue to bicker playfully, though it fades to the background as something brushes up against Max's hand.

Looking down, Max has to fight the urge to blush a second time that night - Kate's hand is right next to hers, where she could easily take it in her own. Kate isn't looking at her when she chances a glance up, but she doesn't pull away as Max slowly slides her hand into Kate's. After a second, Kate looks over with a small smile, and it's all it takes for Max to relax and tighten her hold, her attention returning where Chloe and Rachel are still taking potshots at each other a few steps up ahead.

They don't even notice how much noise they're making, until Victoria's sharp voice calls out from somewhere behind them on the path to the dorm.

"Could you idiots be any louder? I could hear you all the way from the parking lot."

They stop as one, Chloe rolling her eyes so hard that Max is almost certain she could feel the air displace, while Rachel just laughs and nods to Victoria as she gains ground on them.

"Hey, Vic. Nice to see you, too."

Victoria pulls to a stop a few feet away from the group, a hand on her hip and brow cocked in judgement as it often is. She sweeps her eyes over them, landing on Max and Kate's joined hands where she lingers. Max feels Kate tense, knows she's doing the same, waiting for whatever snide comment Victoria no doubt has primed for such an event.

But instead, brown eyes flick up to meet both of their own for a heavy second, before she turns back to Rachel. If she noticed them both breathe in relief, she doesn't comment on it.

"Nathan asked me to remind you about the extra rehearsal, if I saw you before he did. Saturday afternoon, don't forget - or I have to listen to his bitching."

Rachel nods, a smile on her face as she goes to reply but is cut off by Chloe.

"Your bitch couldn't text her that himself?"

And with those words, whatever tentative peace had existed between them for that brief moment shattered above them like a faulty lightbulb, sprinkling glass and darkness and discomfort down around them all as Victoria recoils from the snark, a hand to her chest.

"Wha-- And here I was being fucking nice! What's your problem, Price?"

"I think that's obvious."

"What-fucking-ever, are you even allowed this close to a school? Or do I have to call security?"

And Max isn't sure what exactly caused it - whether it be a physical manifestation of the bitterness between the two bickering girls, or divine intervention so she wouldn't have to listen to either of their voices anymore - but as the last word splits itself from Victoria's tongue, the totem to the side of their group begins to groan and creak.

It grows steadily louder, until eventually it begins to drown the argument under its own song. One by one, their attentions refocus from Chloe and Victoria until they're all just confusedly staring at the statue.

After another long moment, it stills.

A second passes as they glance around each other right before the ground under their feet gives way, sending the five of them crashing several metres down to a hard dirt floor. Even through the pain in her body at falling so far, so unexpectedly, Max can't quite hold back a laugh when Rachel's voice speaks up from somewhere to her right.

"Not my fault."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max pulls herself to her feet, lending a hand down to help Kate to hers as a few grumbles echo around the dirt chamber they have landed in. Looking up through the hole they'd fallen through, she whistles.

"That's a lot higher than I expected."

A light flicks to life at her side, Kate holding up her phone to illuminate the area around them all. Rachel and Victoria follow suit, lighting up the chamber enough for them to finally get a good enough look at their surroundings.

A move that turns out to be a mistake.

They're standing in what looks like the foundations of an old building that used to be there, stone set unevenly in a rough circle around them to form walls. But that's not the disturbing part - there's various symbols and figures carved into the stones, faces stretched in silent screams. Each of the figures have a shape cut into their chests, and another, different one cut into their foreheads. On closer examination, the shapes on heads and chests seem to match haphazardly with different statues around the room.

Kate takes a hesitant step forward, running a hand over the symbols on the walls and brushing off some dirt to see them better. "I recognise these, from an article about the original settlers here in Arcadia Bay..."

"Do you know what they mean?"

Kate pauses a moment, surprised at being addressed by Victoria, turning back to the writing after a second's thought. "No, I'm afraid I don't. Just that they were used for rituals sometimes."

"Well, that's comforting. Dunno about you guys, but I'm getting the major heebies down here..." They mumble agreements as Rachel points the light from her phone up, scanning around the edges of the hole they'd fallen down. "Doesn't look like there's much of a way out either, maybe we should call someone?"

Chloe chooses that moment to lean in to whisper in Max's ear, while the other three are distracted thinking of what to do next.

"Think you can rewind us out?"

Max glances over to check neither Kate nor Victoria heard the question, whispering a hushed - and only slightly irritated - response back. "Not unless I want to end up stuck down here by myself, no."

"Yea, forgot about that. Doesn't sound fun, even for you, Super Max." Chloe clicks her tongue, thinking out loud. "What about Rachel?"

Max can't help the grimace on her face at the thought. "I know she's gotten a lot better, but there's about as much chance of her sending us further down as there is of her getting us out. And besides, hers aren't like mine - they'd be noticed."

Chloe hums, the sound of her joints cracking marking her stretching before she whips out her phone and dials a number. "Yo, Justin! Hey man, sorry for calling so late but I'm calling in that favour you owe me..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Justin arrives a good twenty minutes later, a wait that's far too long in the creepy ritual chamber under the school, with Trevor and Nathan in tow and a lot of rope. Victoria had followed Chloe's lead, phoning Nathan and telling him to come help with the thought that two people might not be enough.

Quick thinking on her part as she was more than likely right, even with three the boys still had a hard enough time getting the rope steady enough for them to manage to start climbing out. Not any fault of theirs, what with the ground being so soft from the rainfall earlier.

It's late by the time they're all back above ground, and with many a thanks and an "I owe you" to the boys, the girls make it into the dorm.

And hell, Kate looks even cuter covered in mud. Max is more than a little jealous.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing she notices when she wakes, is the pounding in her head. The second, is the arms around her waist, pulling her tight to a body behind her.

She almost panics, until she looks back and catches sight of familiar blue hair poking over her shoulder. Looking around, she takes in the details of Rachel's room, eyes landing on the star lamp on her desk that Chloe had made her.

_How did I end up in Rachel's room..? Maybe I crashed in here and Rachel's in my room? I don't really remember falling asleep..._

Disentangling herself from Chloe's arms doesn't prove too difficult, though she takes care not to let the door slam shut and risk waking her friend. Half-asleep, she stumbles her way down the hall to her own room, the door unlocked and swinging open. Closing it behind her quietly, she looks over to the bed where she expects to see Rachel and freezes, blood running cold.

In her bed, is herself.

Thinking it's a dream, or a very fucked up nightmare, she turns to look in the mirror.

Rachel Amber's face stares back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After only a minor freakout and multiple instances of pinching herself, Max makes the decision to rip off the most horrifying bandaid she's come across to date. Leaning down, she presses a hand to her own shoulder, shaking the girl in the bed awake gently and waiting with held breath as she opens her eyes, looking up with sleepy focus.

"Rachel..? What is it--"

The girl pauses, glancing down to herself and then again to Max and looking steadily more pale with every second.

"Why am I in Max's room? And why am I wearing... her clothes..."

At this, the girl springs out of the bed and gazes at herself in the mirror the same way Max had only a few moments ago, running her hands down her sides as if to check that what she is seeing is real.

When Max speaks, Rachel's voice comes out, hesitantly asking if the other is okay. And yet, the girl catches her eye in the mirror for a second, slowly turning to look Max in the eye with her own blue ones, wide with fear and the barest hint of... recognition?

"Max, is that _you_..?"

Something about the way the words are spoken, the way the girl in front of her is curled into herself as she peers up at Max, so lost and afraid... Max doesn't know how she knows. She just does.

"Yea, Kate... It's me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They don't get much more time to explore that realisation, hearing a shrill scream from somewhere else in the dorm. With wide eyes they stare at each other for a few seconds, doing their best impressions of deer caught in headlights as they realise the direction that scream was coming from - Kate's room. As one, they rush out into the hall, having to ignore the couple of heads poking out trying to determine where the noise had come from. Thankfully, the sight of - what appears to be, anyway - Rachel and Max running into Kate's room is not unusual enough to cause too much concern amongst their voyeurs. Other than the aforementioned screaming, that is.

Kate's room door is unlocked, and they borderline crash it open to a sight that isn't as unexpected as it is surprising - Kate stands in front of the little mirror on her desk, frantically examining herself. At the sound of them entering, she turns and looks them both dead in the eye. If she were a mythical being, Max is certain she would have been turned to stone.

"What the _fuck_ is going on?! Why am I Kate? And where the fuck is my body?"

There's only one person Max can think of who would have a reaction like this.

"Victoria, you need to stop screaming!" Max moves towards her as Victoria attempts to open her mouth again, hushing her with just a little bit of venom. "The whole dorm can hear you. Please, Victoria..."

"Victoria?" Max absently hears Kate question from somewhere behind her. Hopefully, she's thought to close the door.

Victoria's teeth snap together with an audible click, and Max hears Kate wince at the noise coming from her own body. The creak of the door opening again behind them immediately sets them all on edge, but the voice that speaks up is laced with enough mirth to settle them again, turning to greet the newcomer.

"Either I grew four inches over night, or Chloe spiked my tea last night when I wasn't looking. Take your pick."

In the doorway, stands the body of Chloe Price. Max is the first one to speak, her voice tilting up uncertainly at the end. "I'm gonna go ahead and guess you're not Chloe?"

The girl grins, pointing a lone finger gun at Max, flicking her thumb for the trigger with a wink. "Rachel Amber, at your service. Good to see you, Max. Gotta say, the new look is an improvement."

"How the fuck are you both so calm right now?"

Rachel rolls her eyes, then her whole head, looking lazily over at the body of Kate still frozen next to the desk. "You better get used to the unnatural, Vic. Seems like it's taken a liking to you."

Victoria doesn't even respond, affecting such a still pose that Kate actually moves to her side to check she isn't going into shock. At the back of her mind, Max can't help wondering at how well Kate seems to be taking this in comparison. Max and Rachel are left standing by the door, and Rachel turns to her with a grin that _really_ doesn't fit their current situation.

"So, who's still missing?"

Victoria must realise first, as she storms out of Kate's room towards her own like a traumatised tornado, leaving the other three stumbling after her. She practically kicks her room door in, freezing at the sight of someone in her bed.

Herself.

She snaps out of it quickly, quick enough that they can't stop her, moving and harshly shaking the stranger in her bed.

The sleep-ruffled head grumbles, slowly sitting up to see who is shaking her, only to land on who she believes to be Kate. With a slow smile, too smug for what they're all going through, she drags her eyes up and down "Kate's" figure. "Well, good morning to you too hotstuff. Not my usual wake-up call, but I'm not complaining."

They've found Chloe.

And with her, makes five.

"Is that everyone accounted for?"

"Is that-- is that everyone accounted for? Why am I the only one freaking out here?! What's going on--"

Her head is still pounding, and if Max has to listen to anymore of Victoria's screaming, well... she'll be screaming even louder. Taking a piece of the confidence she's always admired in Rachel, she moves and firmly grabs ahold of Victoria's head, covering her mouth with a hand.

"Victoria, if you don't shut the fuck up I'm tossing you back in the fucking ritual chamber and closing it up." Max waits, holding Victoria's - _Kate's_ \- eyes for a long second. "Now, I'm going to move my hand. And you need to be quiet. Okay?"

She nods, and Max does as she said - removing her hand. Braces to have to put it back, but Victoria thankfully remains quiet, glancing between them all with wide eyes.

She doesn't say anything else.

After a long moment of tense, _blissful_ quiet, Kate speaks up from somewhere off to the side and Max has to restrain a shudder at hearing her words through the filter of her own voice.

"Max... What's happening to us..?"

Sigh lifting her shoulders, Max turns to look at Kate over her shoulder. She stands completely still, a hand grabbing at the spot above her chest where her crucifix should be, mumbling something under her breath. It sounds like a prayer, the pattern of verses familiar to Max even if not the words within them. When Max moves to her side, she jumps as a hand is placed against her shoulder. Her body is rigid under Max's hand, and it takes a bit of tugging before Max manages to pull her over to the plush sofa in Victoria's room, but eventually she falls onto the cushions, looking up at Max with slightly wet eyes.

Everyone is looking at her. Her head still hurts. It's making it difficult to think.

Kate isn't like Max. Kate isn't like Rachel, or even Chloe.

Kate doesn't know about the peculiarities that sometimes occur in Arcadia Bay. She doesn't know about Max's time powers, she doesn't know about Rachel's elemental powers, she doesn't know about any of it. Neither her, nor Victoria do. They never needed to before.

So, Max tells them.

She tells them everything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max thought she was going to be allowed one normal day.

But is there even such a thing, as a normal day in Arcadia Bay?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left kudos and comments on my last chapter! :)
> 
> The body swaps are as follows:  
> Max. -> Rachel.  
> Chloe. -> Victoria.  
> Rachel. -> Chloe.  
> Kate. -> Max.  
> Victoria. -> Kate.
> 
> I can be found on tumblr @shallitickleyournerdbutton!
> 
> Enjoy! :)

All Max had been wanting all morning, was some quiet. Now that she finally got it, she's not so sure anymore. 

Standing looking down into her own, slightly green-tinted face, there is nothing but quiet as both girls process everything she's just told them. Chloe and Rachel are mercifully silent, looking to Max for directions as to what they should be doing right now. 

But she's not focused on them, watching as Kate continues to grip at the space her crucifix should be like an anchor and looking very much like a girl in the middle of a crisis of faith. The urge to reach out and comfort is there, but Max can't say how welcome it would even be with everything she's just dumped on her friend, so she doesn't. Despite this, her fingers ache to reach out to Kate, painful in a such a tangible way that no phantom desire should be capable of pantomiming, and instead she turns to check on the other person in the room she has just baptised with knowledge of the strange and unusual. 

Victoria scowls at the ground by her feet, the expression almost a scar against Kate's delicate features, leaning heavily against the desk behind her as she thinks. If Max were to press a cup to the side of her head and listen, she would half expect to hear the sound of gears creaking and turning with the level of concentration she's displaying, chewing at a thumbnail that doesn't belong to her. She must feel the attention, as she snaps her head up to meet Max's eyes. When she speaks, her words come out clipped - as if she doesn't trust herself with any more right now. As if she doesn't trust her own thoughts.

"I want proof. You say you can rewind time? Prove it."

Max feels the rest of them watching her, an eclectic mix of emotions thrumming in the air at the challenge - excitement from Chloe and Rachel, nerves and fear from Kate - but Victoria...

She's harder to read than the rest. Always has been, despite her popular girl status. Max knows she's not as vapid as she acts, nor as confident or heartless, or any number of other words many would apply to her. But that doesn't mean she understands Victoria any better. 

Only that Max _knows_ she doesn't understand her. 

Sighing, Max thinks of some way to 'prove' herself to Victoria, mind floating back to having to do the same for Chloe and Rachel while huddled in the booths at the diner. Something simple, something that will have to make Victoria believe her...

"Fine. I want you to go across to my room and pick something. Anything at all, and bring it back here. But don't show me until I say."

Victoria holds her stare, pushing herself off the desk and strutting out into the hall. After a few moments, she returns. Keeps a hand behind her back, hiding whatever item she has chosen as Max requested. 

"I'm going to get you to show me what you picked, and then rewind us back. If I'm telling the truth, I'll know what item you have behind your back without you showing me."

Victoria looks a little less sure of herself, eyes flicking to where Kate is sitting - wide-eyed and still a little green - on the sofa, back to her own body lounging on the bed in a very Chloe-like manner, before shaking her head as if to clear it. 

"Okay."

"Show me."

Pulling her hand from behind her back, Victoria reveals one of the photos Max had hanging above her bed. It's a picture of Max, one of the few polaroids of her that she didn't take herself - Rachel having snatched up her camera and using it to snap a candid shot of her that is admittedly less than flattering. But, her and Chloe liked it, so on the wall it went. 

Why Victoria would pick that one, out of them all, is a mystery. 

With a nod of her head, Max raises her hand and only then realises that it may not even work if she's not in her own body, breathing in relief as time begins to rewind itself around her. Waits until the moment Victoria leaves the room, lowering her hand as time snaps back into its natural flow. 

For the second time, Max watches the body of her crush draw to a stop in front of her, the defiant tilt of her chin a sharp reminder of who she's really talking to. "You've got one of my photos from my wall. It's one of me that Rachel took, I'm sitting at one of the benches in front of the school and trying to grab my camera back."

Blue eyes widen, and Max knows she's struck gold - there's no way she would know which of the hundreds of photos in her room Victoria would have picked, if she weren't telling the truth about her abilities. The hand clutching the photo is pulled from behind her back, and she stares hard at it for a second before her free hand flies up to cover her mouth. 

When Max looks over to Rachel and Chloe, they're reclined together on Victoria's bed, matching grins as they are treated to the sight of an unbalanced Victoria - seeing the figures of Chloe and Victoria cuddling is unusual enough that Max has to bite back a laugh. Now _really_ isn't the time. 

Victoria remains unmoving, only finally glancing up when Kate rises up off the couch to approach her, peering over Victoria's shoulder to study the photo - likely to confirm with her own eyes that it matches the description Max had just given. Kate looks down the negligible distance at her own face, still frozen in place as Victoria does her best impression of a wax figurine. Whatever Kate is thinking, she manages to keep it hidden, lifting a hand to place against Victoria's - _her own_ \- shoulder, coaxing Victoria's hand away from her mouth with a smile of her own that doesn't quite reach her eyes. No longer does she look a moment's breath away from hurling her insides up, she looks over to Max with a determined set to her jaw. 

"So, what do we do now?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They set some ground rules, going forward. The first is simple enough - be respectful of each other. 

"Don't do things that the person who's body you're in wouldn't do. Victoria, that means no smoking." Max had stated flatly, seeing Victoria move to light a cigarette from a pack she'd just fished out of her bag, and Kate's bemused look at seeing her body about to be so blatantly abused in front of her. 

"But--"

"No buts!"

"Heh, 'no butts'."

The joke had prompted Max's attention back to Chloe lounging on the bed, the sight of what looks like Chloe and Victoria cuddling still funnier than it has any right to be. "Chloe, Rachel, you two are going to have to keep your distance from each other, at least in public. Chloe and Victoria aren't dating, and if people see you together it will definitely bring questions."

Chloe sulks at the thought, leaving Rachel to speak up next to her. "And what about when we're not in public? I mean, we don't know how long this is going to last..."

It takes a moment for Max to understand what Rachel is asking, feeling her ears start to burn as she coughs awkwardly. "Well, I guess it's not really me that question should be aimed at..."

The attention flicks to Victoria, leaning against her desk and scowling at some imaginary thing by her feet in thought. She hesitates for a long second, before sighing with an almighty roll of her eyes. Max is half-surprised Kate's face is even capable of making such an gesture. 

"Fine." At seeing Chloe grin, about to say something in response, she continues, holding up a hand. "But! I don't want to even so much as hear a whisper about it. No comments, no jokes. Capisce?"

And... that's a lot more generous than Max had been braced for, having expected nothing other than resolute refusal from Victoria at the request. Clearly, Chloe and Rachel had been thinking the same, sending each other barely-concealed looks of - pleasant - surprise. 

Victoria just resumed her staring contest with the carpet and, certainly not for the first time in recent years, Max is struck by the fleeting wish she had mind-reading abilities instead. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second rule is a little more... _lax_ in definition than the first - they all have to play their part. 

None of them want to risk being cornered by questions, so they all agree easily enough to the terms. It's just that 'playing the part' may be an easier task for some than others...

"Pfft, you're fucked Chloe. No way you can both pass for Victoria, _and_ pass her classes." Rachel had - unhelpfully - decided to chime in. 

"You better not destroy my grades, Price."

Max has to consciously school the disbelief that wants to express itself on her face, as well as the urge to question Victoria about her priorities - completely unfazed at the prospect of Chloe and Rachel doing any number of unimaginably lewd things involving her body, but having her grades affected?

That's where she draws the line. 

Every time Max thinks she's starting to understand her a little better, Victoria lobs another wrench amongst the already pulverised gears, happily listening to them squeal in distress.

It's super frustrating. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The aforementioned "Chloe Issue" is the deciding factor for the third, and currently last, rule - as much as possible, try and stay together and help each other. 

"It's probably best that we all stick together until we figure out a way to undo all of this anyways, so we're just gonna have to work together - classes, homework, assignments, etc. Surely between the five of us, we can salvage our GPAs."

Thanking every god she has heard of, and even every god _Kate_ has heard of, Max is allowed to set this one rule without any arguments or comments, looking around the room as everyone nods in agreement. Checking the time on Victoria's fancy computer, reveals it's almost time for first period to start. 

"It's almost time for class, so why don't we just try and survive today and meet back in here after class?" 

They nod, Rachel raising a hand only slightly-mockingly, waiting until Max looks at her. She doesn't need to ask her question, Max already knows what's coming. 

"Rachel... I dunno what you should do, but maybe try not to be seen by security? Last thing we need is you getting caught by Wells or something."

The raised hand morphs into a sharp salute, not a hint of sincere respect to be found in the gesture as Rachel grins up at her from her spot on Victoria's bed. 

"Got it, boss."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With that very rough plan decided, they all split up to go prepare for the day ahead. Chloe and Rachel stay in Victoria's room, Kate goes back into Max's, and even Victoria goes to get dressed in Kate's room without much complaint. That leaves Max to drag her heels back to Rachel's room again, and the second the door is closed she slumps against it, the thin wood the only thing between her and landing on her back on the old carpet. Humourless mirth flirts with the exhaustion sitting on her shoulders, and she looks towards the ceiling, imagining the entity responsible for her status as a cosmic plaything.

_I hope you're enjoying yourself..._

She waits for an answer, and receives exactly the one she had been expecting - empty, taunting silence. With a sigh, she pushes her self back to her feet, moving to stand facing the full-size mirror Rachel has next to her closet. Rachel's picture-perfect features stare back at her and she leans in, pulling an experimental face. The reflection copies the movement, sticking out a tongue back at her. 

_Even making ugly faces, she's still gorgeous... Some people really have all the luck._

That said, the universe seems to enjoy picking on Rachel every bit as much as it does Max; the jury is still out as to whether that's a comforting thought or not. As it stands right this moment, the scales are tipping closer to the 'not' side. 

Turning away from staring at her borrowed body in the mirror, Max begins to pick out a suitably Rachel-esque outfit - one of her loose, patterned sweaters, some jeans and a pair of plain, white sneakers. Simple, but still close enough to how Rachel dresses that it shouldn't raise any eyebrows. Placing them on the bed, she begins to strip. It's not as strange as she had been braced for, thankfully - Rachel isn't particularly shy, and Max has had more than her share of eyefuls from her and Chloe both. Unable to help herself, she sneaks a glance in the mirror, appraising. 

And wouldn't you know it, there isn't that much of a difference between her and Rachel's figures. The only real difference, is the missing freckles Max has all over. 

_No wonder people mistake me for her all the time..._

Absently, Max wonders how the others are getting on, blood freezing in her veins as a thought occurs to her - Kate is a few doors down, possibly doing the same thing Max is, but with one key difference...

She's not in _Rachel's_ body.

And the blood that had frozen superheats, turning to steam and producing a very vibrant blush across her face and most of her chest, her ears burning for a second time that morning. She'd be a liar to say she'd never thought of situations where Kate would see her naked. 

Usually she's at least _present_ in those, though.

_Oh, the mortifying ordeal of being known..._ She laments, busying herself with actually getting dressed and attempting to distract herself from her thoughts. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chloe is already waiting in the empty hallway when Max exits Rachel's room, texting away on her phone as she leans against the wall - probably messaging Rachel, who is conspicuously missing. Due to her being stuck in Chloe's body, she fortunately does not have to worry about attending classes, and seems to be taking Max's warning about staying out of sight surprisingly seriously. 

Chloe glances up when Max approaches her, splitting Victoria's sharp features with a grin that is still unmistakably _Chloe._ Allowing her gaze to drop, Max looks over the outfit Chloe has on, taking in the perfect mix of high fashion and preppy accessorisation as she does. Her eyebrow raises as she notices Chloe still grinning at her, addressing her friend with a nod to the perfect facsimile of Victoria's taste in clothes on display in front of her. 

"So Rachel dressed you then, huh?"

"Oh yea. If it were up to me, Icky Vicky's hair would already be blue by now."

That actually makes Max snort, imagining Victoria's reaction at the unapproved style change. "Please don't." She chides, in the small chance Chloe isn't joking. 

Chloe opens her mouth, no doubt ready to voice yet another cheeky retort, but her eyes drift off to focus on something by Max's side. Following Chloe's gaze, Max has to swallow down the fleeting embarrassment from earlier as Kate peeks out into the hall, stepping out fully when she sees Chloe and Max a few doors down. She's in an outfit that is just about passable as Max's, with some very obviously Kate-like changes - she's pulled Max's short hair up into a high ponytail, about where her bun would usually sit, and has a well-fitted button-up tucked into her pants where one would expect to find some form of cute slogan'd t-shirt. Max doesn't even recognise it, Kate must have dug it out of some forgotten corner of Max's wardrobe. 

But... it doesn't look bad? Maybe it's the difference in how Kate carries herself, better posture and a little more poise compared to Max, but she manages to make even Max's clumsy figure look put-together. Kate flushes, just the tiniest bit, when she meets Max's eyes, and they both know why but neither of them say anything about it. Instead, she gives a little twirl in the empty hallway, hands gesturing to her outfit as she looks between Max and Chloe. 

"Well, how do I look?"

And several thoughts pass through Max's mind at the question - the first is that Kate still somehow manages to be adorable even in these horrible circumstances. The second, is to question herself about whether or not it's narcissistic to find Kate cute right now, considering who's body she is in.

Max decides to deal with that thought at a later time.

Or maybe never. 

"You look good, Katie-Kat. Putting this one here to shame." Chloe tosses as arm around Max's shoulder, squeezing just enough to be annoying. 

Max elbows Chloe in the side when she doesn't let go after a minute, hearing Kate giggling distantly as she and Chloe begin to half-grapple each other in the hall. She's at a definite disadvantage, the size difference between their borrowed bodies about the same as their original ones. They don't even notice the last member join the group, until she scoffs from right behind Kate's shoulder. 

"Really? Can you two not act like adults for five fucking minutes?"

As one, the three of their attentions pan over to Victoria, and Max almost chokes at the view in front of her - it seems Victoria has been playing pretty fast and loose with her interpretations of Kate's wardrobe, having dressed herself in a tight blouse and cardigan to match the equally tight skirt she has hiked up borderline _criminally_ high. Gone is the modest bun, Kate's long, dirty blonde hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders, the lightest dusting of dark eye makeup complimenting the dark colours of the outfit. It takes more effort than Max is willing to admit for her to tear her eyes away from the vast expanse of leg on show - and she only succeeds due to her respect for Kate. 

As woman-loving-woman, Max is thrilled at the new look currently adorning her crush's body. 

As a time-traveller, she's appalled. 

"Victoria! What part of 'keeping a low profile' did you not understand?!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After several long moments of arguing, Max eventually succeeds at forcing Victoria back into Kate's room to put on something more appropriate, not missing the relieved look of thanks Kate had sent her way once the other girl had disappeared back behind the door. 

When Victoria appears in the hallway a second time, at least more of her is covered up and the long hair is pulled back into a more modest style, if not quite the bun Kate usually wears it up in. The makeup remains, but alone it isn't enough that it would seem suspicious. Victoria huffs as they all scrutinise her, despite not really having left herself any defense. 

"Better?" She tosses her hands out, hip cocked in a way that would be melodramatic if Kate were to actually be the one doing it. Knowing that it's actually Victoria making the gesture, doesn't make it any less odd to witness. 

"Definitely." Max deadpans, checking the time on her phone thanks to Victoria's delay. 

Fifteen minutes until photography class. Plenty of time. 

Looking up from her phone, Max just just catches sight of Kate glancing to the necklace hanging around Victoria's neck - her crucifix she had been missing earlier. Without thinking, Kate lifts a hand to her own neck, touching gently where the necklace should be, a sad and faraway look in her eyes. 

And, Max must not have been the only one who noticed the little moment - watching as Victoria moves her hands to the clasp behind her neck, pulling the necklace free with a tenderness Max can't really place having ever seen from her. She holds it open, tapping Kate's shoulder lightly and motioning her to turn without words, waiting until Kate does so and draping it gently around her neck, the clasp snapping shut with a soft little click. 

Kate turns back around, a questioning look in her eyes at Victoria as she remains just a little too far into Kate's space. Kate doesn't move away, watching as Victoria tucks the gold pendant under her collar and simply allowing her to do so. There's a strange fragility to Victoria's words when she does speak, and neither Max, Kate, or even Chloe, want to risk saying anything to ruin this little moment.

"I know this means a lot to you... No one will notice it missing other than us." Victoria presses her fingertips gently to the spot where the cross is concealed, meeting Kate's eyes with a small smile which Kate returns, softly, like she's not sure she believes the interaction is actually happening.

It's such an oddly intimate little moment, between two people Max had never seen share more than maybe a couple words with one another before now. Her fingers reach for a camera that she doesn't have, lying forgotten on her desk. Rachel doesn't carry a polaroid camera around with her, so Max doing so right now would be too suspicious.

It would have been a really nice photo. 

With a last tap to Kate's chest, Victoria turns on her heel and heads for the stairs without even so much as a look back, leaving the three of them to glance between each other, trying to confirm that they'd all seen the same thing. 

Eventually, they follow after her when no answers seem to be forthcoming. And here Max thought that Chloe was going to be her biggest problem today. 

Now, she's not so sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max doesn't understand Victoria. She _knows_ she doesn't, was just fine with that. 

And now? Well, only time will tell. 

Fortunately for Max, _time_ is the one thing she has plenty of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes for this chapter:  
> I added the detail about Max and Rachel having similar figures to tie into how characters in the game canonically mistake Max for her sometimes. I personally think that if you were to adjust Max's model to have Rachel's hairstyle and makeup, they actually would look super similar to each other - they've got really similar faces in some shots. I can't test this theory as I have no real art/photoshop skills though!
> 
> I've kinda messed with the timeline in this story, making Max, Kate, Victoria and Rachel in the same year at Blackwell. I think in the games, Rachel and Chloe would have been in the year above them but I'm not 100% sure. Also, Max and Rachel got their powers in the junior and sophomore years respectively, instead of their senior year - which is the one they're in now where this story is set. Rachel obviously also lives in the dorms instead of with her parents.
> 
> As one commenter pointed out last chapter, AmberPrice do become low-key ChasePrice as a result of the bodyswaps. I definitely lean into the fact Victoria and Chloe don't like each other much in this story to maximise this awkwardness >:)
> 
> As always, kudos and comment below if you've enjoyed! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Notes for this chapter:  
> Max can't rewind them out of the hole because her powers still work like they do in the game - they only affect the world around her, but not Max herself. If she were to rewind, the rest of them would go back but she wouldn't, leaving her trapped underground alone. 
> 
> As for Rachel, she's still learning how to control her powers. They're powered by her emotions, unlike Max's where she has to focus, and are much harder to reliably use.
> 
> The body swaps are as follows:  
> Max. -> Rachel.  
> Chloe. -> Victoria.  
> Rachel. -> Chloe.  
> Kate. -> Max.  
> Victoria. -> Kate.
> 
> From here on out, I'll post them at the top of each chapter to help remind everyone who is who. I know it's a bit hard to follow, especially here at the start, so I'll do my best to make it as clear as I can. 
> 
> I always appreciate kudos and comments, so let me know what you think! :)


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